JAMES SMITH FROM NEWPORT CAUGHT AT BARRY ISLAND WITH TEENAGE BOY AND JAILED IN CARDIFF

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community, James Smith, a 34-year-old registered sex offender from Newport, was sentenced to three years in prison after being caught in a car with a teenage boy in Cardiff. The incident unfolded just six months after Smith was released early from a previous prison term for rape, raising serious concerns about his ongoing risk to the public.

According to court proceedings, Smith had met two 13-year-old boys at Barry Island, a popular tourist destination in South Wales, and over the course of three weeks, he engaged in grooming behaviors. Prosecutor Andrew Davies detailed that Smith cultivated a false friendship with the boys, providing them with money, alcohol, and cigarettes in an attempt to manipulate and influence them. This grooming process was part of a pattern of predatory behavior that alarmed authorities.

The court heard that police officers, during a routine patrol, observed Smith with one of the boys in his vehicle parked in an unlit area of a park. When approached, Smith claimed that the boy was his son, a statement that was quickly contradicted by police investigations. It was revealed that Smith was a convicted sex offender, having previously served a six-year sentence in 1999 for raping and indecently assaulting a boy. Despite his prior conviction, Smith was released early, only to commit further offenses shortly thereafter.

In April of this year, Smith admitted to four counts of abducting the two boys. The court was informed that the boys’ parents were unaware of their children’s whereabouts during these incidents, highlighting the potential danger posed by Smith’s actions.

Judge Roger Dutton presided over the case and sentenced Smith to three years in prison. During his sentencing, the judge expressed serious concern about Smith’s motives, stating, “I am firmly of the view that the ulterior motive was for some sort of sexual activity.” He also emphasized the gravity of the offense, noting that although nothing sexual occurred when police found Smith with the boy in his car, the abduction itself was a very serious crime. The judge issued a stern warning to Smith to be cautious in the future, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by individuals with his criminal background.